1. May 17, 1792: North Carolina becomes the twelfth state to join the United States of America after ratifying the Constitution on this day.

2. May 17, 1875: The first Kentucky Derby was won by Aristides, a horse bred and trained in North Carolina. A statue of Aristides stands in the town of Ansonville today.

3. May 17, 1900: The Wright brothers made their first successful flight in North Carolina on this day. The flight only lasted 12 seconds, but it marked a major milestone in aviation history.

4. May 17, 1954: The landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education was decided on this day, striking down the "separate but equal" doctrine and leading the way for the desegregation of public schools in America.

5. May 17, 2004: North Carolina became the first state in the US to offer a four-year college degree program in entrepreneurship. The program was launched by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has since spread to other schools across the country.